"Would be a good bit of business" - Ipswich Town pursuit of duo praised despite Sunderland warning | OneFootball

Following promotion to the Premier League, Ipswich Town have begun looking for new signings to bolster their squad for top-flight football, with Sunderland perhaps a good option when scouting for talent.

They have the youngest squad by average age in the division, and are renowned for their ability to buy young players and improve them, with selling some of them on the next step this summer.

After a memorable season that saw Ipswich secure a second consecutive promotion, they are now preparing for life back in the Premier League, after more than 20 years away, where they will reportedly target players who they feel can make the step-up to the Premier League with them.

Two players that Kieran McKenna's side are reportedly interested in are Sunderland duo Pierre Ekwah and Dan Ballard, according to TBR Football. However, given that Ballard is 24 and Ekwah is just 21, coupled with the fact they are under long-term deals at the Stadium of Light, you'd have thought that the duo wouldn't come cheap for any suitors this summer.

Carlton Palmer's Ipswich Town transfer window verdict

Ex-England international Carlton Palmer believes Ipswich are conducting their business in the right manner, if players such as the Sunderland duo are the types that they look to sign in the transfer market.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said: "Ipswich Town are back in the Premier League for the first time in 20 years.

"A fantastic achievement by Kieran McKenna with back-to-back promotions, and they are now preparing for life in the Premier League.

"It's always difficult when you get promoted. You know the quality is going to be higher, but you have also got to be careful, because the money that is paid in the Premier League, not just in transfer fees but in salaries, is huge. "The gulf is massive. You have only got to look at the Championship this season. The three teams that are up there with Ipswich were relegated from last season, and obviously have the parachute payment money. "Ipswich have got to be really careful when plotting forward. They are said to be looking at Pierre Ekwah and Dan Ballard of Sunderland. "This is what Sunderland look to do. They buy the young players in and they develop them, then look to sell them on. "Ekwah joined Sunderland from West Ham's academy in 2023, and has gone on to make 60 appearances in all competitions. "Ballard is another to join at a young age from a Premier League club in Arsenal in the summer of 2022. "But Sunderland are in a strong position with both of these young players, with both under contract until the summer of 2026 and 2027. "However, Ipswich have done really well in recruiting players. These two were at Premier League clubs and have dropped down to play regular football, so you would expect that they have the quality to step back up again now at that level. "What McKenna and Ipswich are doing is signing young players that they believe can make that step back up to that level. "If worst came to worst and they were relegated, then they should still keep these sorts of players to go again with a strong squad, and they've then got the parachute money to lean on. "That's the balance. You can't gamble on just getting promoted and spending big money. That doesn't guarantee you Premier League survival.

"It would be a good bit of business for Ipswich Town and McKenna, but they're not going to find it easy to get them out of Sunderland, as they are on long-term contracts."

Dan Ballard and Pierre Ekwah linked to Ipswich

Both Sunderland players have impressed in the Championship at what is a relatively early stage of their respective careers, suggesting they ought to be capable of making the move to the Premier League in the future, which could be this summer.

Given that Dan Ballard is 24 years of age and Pierre Ekwah is just 21, coupled with the fact they are under long-term deals at the Stadium of Light, you'd have thought that the duo wouldn't come cheap this summer.

However, irrespective of the potential cost, if Ipswich are keen to make the deals happen, then they are certainly the right types of signings, as Palmer alludes to.

Domestic-based signings that are affordable, with plenty of Championship or Premier League experience for their age, should stand the Tractor Boys in good stead heading towards next year.

They have potential and the propensity to improve further, whilst being of the required quality to seriously improve upon the team's starting players in those positions already.